Demand Committee for Creation of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) on Tuesday demanded creation of ADCs in four new hill districts of Manipur. The committee threatened to boycott upcoming elections of the ADCs if the state government fails to fulfil their demand.
The then Congress government in Manipur created seven new districts by issuing a gazette notification on December 8, 2016. The newly-created districts are Tengnoupal (bifurcated from Chandel district), Kamjong (from Ukhrul), Pherzawl (from Churachandpur), Kangpokpi (from Senapati), Kakching (from Thoubal), Noney (from Tamenglong district) and Jiribam (from Imphal East district).
Among the new districts in the hill areas, Kangpokpi (hill district) had already its own ADC before the bifurcation from Senapati district. However, the state government is yet to constitute ADCS in the four new hill districts -Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Noney and Pherzawl even after four years since the creation.
Addressing a press conference at Manipur Press Club in Imphal, convener of the ADC demand committee, Simon Kamei said that Zilla Parishads for the newly created two valley districts were also created. “If the state government fails to create the ADCs for the four hill districts before the upcoming elections of the six ADCs, the committee will launch various forms of democratic agitations,” he cautioned.
The committee will continue the agitations until the state government creates the ADCs in these four new districts, Kamei added.
While asking the reasons behind the delay in the creation of the ADCs, he said whether it was due to weakness of the present government or waiting for a movement of the people of these districts.
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